Fridays: Rollercoasters & Cartwheels

Fridays: Rollercoasters & Cartwheels

I offer Reiki energy to dogs at a local shelter every Friday. I have been doing this for about two months. I am finding the energy differences interesting. Some days the energy flows freely and I am lifted by it, other days I totally need nap after even though I feel fine. Some days have been frustrating and I feel like I am not reaching any of them. Sometimes this is because the dramatic and recent influx of new dogs. They are stressed, scared and loud. I am honored though to be working with a shelter that has the capability to take dogs and find them homes so efficiently. They often take dogs from other states, counties and even from disaster zones. They do an awesome job.

The opportunity to work with so many ever rotating dogs is challenging and rewarding. It is so fun to see all the dogs and be able to offer Reiki and sit with them. I go in with the intention of offering them comfort and peace.

I love to see the dogs who basically ask for it. I will see there head pop up over the top of the kennel wall and they will bark directly to me or they will see me go by and draw me in. Sometimes another volunteer will ask if I been to see ‘so and so’ and that I should. They are the dogs that may be super anxious or coming from hard circumstances.

When I have been in with a dog and offered them Reiki usually they are much calmer, brighter and overall seem more relaxed. It is awesome to see. I also love to be in the kennel with a dog when potential adopters come by. They get to see the dog calm, relaxed and happy. One day I saw 4-5 dogs get adopted while I was there. Some I was in the kennel with when they initially saw the dog.

Most people don’t even know that I am doing Reiki. I just sit with dog. Sometimes my hands are on the dog. But this can look like petting or massage. And sometimes it is, but it is combined with Reiki energy as well.

There are a few dogs who have been there at least 2 months…this is along time to be there. It is a stressful environment no matter how well they are treated there. It is just not home.

This is Stewie! He was in a previous post. He was the first dog, I think, I did Reiki on. I learned today that he was adopted after a long time there at the shelter. So awesome I wanna do cartwheels.

I was reflecting on this news and on our visit yesterday. I realized that my visit with him yesterday wasn’t really normal. It was more of just hanging out. He gave me lots of kisses and told me lots of secrets in my ear. I am gonna miss this guy. But I am so happy for him. Anyway…I wasn’t really concerned for him yesterday, well, not like I had been. I didn’t go and see him first, which I often do. He was okay and I sensed it. Maybe that visit was just our good-bye.